San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-12

the infinite peril of his head and limbs.
Miss Chester seized her puppy some
where in the neighborhood Of the tail,
held it up by that appendage, and. with
her fan, slapped IL indiscrimnately in
all parts of its body, all the while ut
tering the daintiest apologies to Mr..
Wylle, who stood confusedly on the
mat.
"You bad, wicked dog. how dare your"
and Miss Chester shook her dog with
such exceeding vigOr that Mr.. Wylie
feared the tail would give way.
II am afraid it will come out if you
shake it that way" he said mildly, and
Miss Chester desisted.
Mr.. Wylie opened, the door for her,
hattening himself against the wall to
avoid the puppy's grinders: and Miss
Chester, with a protuslOn OF smiles
and thanks, slipped out.
Quite like beam of sunshine, quite
fairy-like, quite-I declare, | feel sever
al years younger" and Mr.. Wylie ran
his fingers through his sCant gray stub
bic, pulled up his collar. and mounted
the stairs two at time. He took down
from his bookshelf an old pOCket-bOok,
and scanned its pages attentively for
few moments. ''Fifty-four last birth
day; and Sam is SO. fancy Hook rather
younger than Sam"
SAM said Mr.. Wylie, when he met
his friend in the evening, "what do you
think of our new lOdger?"
Avery pleasing young lady, | think"
answered Mr.. Greeley.
"A fine girl, think, SAM" said the
sub-editor.
"Oh, no, Will, | don't think I'd say
that. Pleasing and-and very interest
ing, if you like" replied Mr.. Greeley.
mo, no;that's not half strong enough.
You haven't seen her eyes, Sam. My
eye, what eyes! And her mouth-Oh,
Sam, what mouth"
STEADY, Will, steady" said his friend
gravely. Remember that maxim of
ours"
''Oh, bother, Sam. don't think the
maxim will do at all in this case. Good
night. Sam. don't think you need
bolt your bedroom door, old fellow"
And Mr.. Wylie buttoned his coat and
went out.
"Will is partially right" unused the
cashier, as he sat over his tea. This
is very much more than an interesting
young woman But | don't like fine
girl at all. Sac has lovely eyes. didn't
quite like Wills manner. | must talk
seriously with him. Will ought not to
forget his years"
Within the next couple of days a
change had come over the little house
hold. Miss Chester, all unwittingly,
was the cause of it. Her girls voice
echoed sweetly through the house all
day; and Mr.. Wylie on the first floor
heard it, and heard it not unmoved.
"What delicious voice!'' he said to
himself hundred times day.
Then she would run up and down the
stairs on little errands of her own, and
out into the garden, where herpresence
made the sickly flowers and the dusty
evergreens sicklier and more dusty.
When Mr.. Wylie took his solitary
turn there, after she had gone, he found
the garden dingy which he had thought
so gay before. Then he would look
down at himself, and think:
"What devil of a shabby old fellow
am! / must imprOve-l must brighten
up Bit"
But he kept his feelings and his
thoughts to himself.
Mr.. Greeley heard the same bird-like
voice in the evening; and would sit con-
cealed in the window when Miss Cnes-
ter ran out and down the street, follow
days back again when he had been as
light of foot as she was then. His
parlor seemed not SO cheerful as it had
been.
But it needs another hand than mine
to brighten it," he said. I'm a rusty
old chap" he thought at other times.
1.-The rust has settled on me these many
years. L wonder whether any of it
would rlih off now -
But he kept all these things to him
self.
Something had interposed itself be-
tween the two old friendS-the chief
cashier and the chief sub-editor-an
indescribable shadowy something that
made their intercourse not quite what
it had been before. They had not quar-
relied; they met and talked, morning
and evening, as usual; but the sponte-
niety had gone out of their greetings,
and they spoke cOnstrainedly about
things that did not interest them.
She went out every evening at about
7, and returned at half-paSt 10.
1t was on the Thursday after the ar
rival of the new ledger that Mr.. Wylie,
having dined, took a walk in the direc-
ton of the shops. On his return, Mrs.
Dunning greeted him with an express
sion of surprise:
Law, Mr.. Wylie, you look quite
battered; you've been and done some
thing to yourself!"
do you observe an improvement,
Mrs. Dunning?' the sub-editor asked,
in complacent tone.
well, sir, you certainly do look bit
spryer."
Mr.. Wylie showed no offense at this
criticism: on the contrary, it seemed to
afford him satisfaction.
Mr.. Greeley, when his friend visited
him in the evening, noticed the change
in his appearance.
What have you done to yOurself?'
he asked. "Why, good heavens, Will
liam!" he exclaimed in avOice of alarm,
you've had your hat irOnedl"
For answer, Mr.. Wylie tilted his hat
an inch or two forward in the direction
of his left eyebrow, struck an attitude
as nearly gallant as possible, and wink
ed slowly with one eye.
"William," said Mr.. Greeley, with
much concern" William, what is the
matter? You are not WELL"
"Oh, yes, SAM" answered Mr.. Wylie
in a jOcular tone. .1'm better than I
have been for years. You notice the
change, ehH'
But Mr.. Greeley was neither pleased
nor satisfied, He said very gravely:
"What does this mean, William? A
man at your time of life does not have
his hat ironed for nothing"
II had mine irOned for siXpence,"
murmured Mr.. Wylie.
"You are flippant, William" replied
his friend. II speak not of pence, but
of sinister motives"
"Why Sam. come, now, it wanted
La, 10 ali